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Archive for March, 2007

When an explosion rocks the Devlin Group, two agents must risk everything to save them all. Book 2 of the Devlin Group series.

Tony Casavetti emerges from an undercover assignment only to be summoned to NYC by Charlotte, the Devlin Group’s executive administrator. When he arrives, he finds out she may be ruthlessly efficient, but his assumption about her being matronly was dead wrong.

Charlotte Rhames has it all-looks, wealth and the respect she craved. But an attack on the Devlin Group throws her back into the pit of sex, money, and murder she’d crawled out of.

With Tony’s life at stake, how far is she willing to fall?

I admit I’m a Romantic Suspense Junkie, I love them. If I know one is coming out I mark it on my calendar and then anxiously await it’s release. This was the case with Shannon Stacey’s Newest release. I must have read the excerpt and stalked her site over and over again. As soon as she said that she was writing the next Devlin book I was ready to read it. So since I managed to read it today in one sitting after owning for all of an hour I thought I might type up this little review.

Like the previous installement of this series we jump right into the action. Which for me is key especially in Romantic Suspense. Jumping right into the action lets me know that this author is going to provide the suspense half of the genre.

As On the Edge opens we find Tony embroiled in a shootout involving a man that IMO get s exactly what’s coming to him. From the very first sentences I was drawn into the action and I could see it as is played out through Ms. Stacey’s words. I found myself cheering Tony on and applauding him for his quick thinking that made an extremely difficult situation end in the best possible way.

However, as the action unfolds we get a peak at the relationship between Tony and Charlotte. One that has been taking place over the comm link for the last eight years. Tony and Charlotte are nothing but voices to one another , but soon the agent and the admin are going to meet in the flesh.

I found Tony’s interdialogue about what Charlotte looks like to be funny and if I didn’t know better I may have agreed with him. His surprise when he sees her in the flesh was comical yet laced with sexuality that left me feeling as though it was an honest reaction.

Charlotte of course knew what he looked like, but even she admits that he is better in person then in his company file. Their conversations and dialogue are very well written, I found myself chuckling a little at some points and I definitely felt the sexual tension between them.

Charlotte is what I look for in a herione for this type of book, Like Grace in 72 hours, she is strong and knows what to do and when to do it. She takes risks and when she and Tony are thrust into bad situation after bad situation she holds up. She defends herself as best she can and she fights for herself as well as Tony’s survival.

As for Tony he fits the bill of action lead to a T, but yet he is still human. There is a small piece of dialogue in the book that sums up his humanity for the reader. I’m paraphrasing here since I don’t have Ms. Stacey’s permission to post her work.

While discussing the last mission Tony was on Charlotte mentions that the young girl he saved, Rosa is OK and back with her family. His response to this is that then everything that happened was worthwhile for him. He does what he must to get the job done , but he still manages to feel for those he saves and or has to destroy. Tony Casavetti is definitely a stand up guy as well as a great agent. Plus he’s a cowboy, who doesn’t love a cowboy, but that’s a topic for another post entirely.

What I really liked about this book was that overall it was believable, the characters and their plans were slightly flawed and in turn makes them all the more human. Both of them throughout the 200 pages of the book are faced with choices that at times are far from easy and yet they continued to persevere and fight back against some really tough odds.

While many may disagree with some of the choice they have to make in the end it worked for me.

I’m not one who usually rates a book , but this one is so well written and believable that I would give it 5 Gold Stars.

I’m sure I will be rereading this as well as the previous installment in the future while I wait for Ms Stacey to write Gallagher’s Book.

If you are interested in buying this title you can do so here. To learn more about Shannon Stacey and her books, please visit her website.

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

So I took the plunge and moved my blog to word press. I can be easily intimidated when I have to deal with computer issues. Basic stuff no problem, I can usually plow my way through it and come out victorious, but even mention HTML or Code and I shudder in fear. I can hook up our new printer no problem, but create a blog and I find myself cringing in fear, so for now this blog is kind of drab, with time and study I’m sure I will figure it out. For now however, this will serve its purpose.

I hope to review more as I spend the summer relaxing and working my part time job. It’s odd to not go to work every day, I have worked full time since I was 18 years old and to not have to shoulder the burden of a full time job is quite scarey, but I have to admit to being a much nicer and calmer person because of it.

When I lost my job I thought it was the end for me, I felt like our family was spiraling down a whole we wouldn’t climb out of, but not so much. my husband got offered and opportunity from the people he worked for part time. So now my husband gets to be the big bread winner, he gets to be the general manager of the store he worked out and I get to work there part time three or four days a week. All in all losing my job was the best thing that every happened.

It seems weird to say that, and it has been an adjustment for us, but it gets easier every day and in the long run it will pay off. The owners have offered us the chance to buy into the franchise they own, we will be able to own part of where we work and ultimately make more money that I was before. For once we will be working for ourselves not for someone else’s benefit and that in itself makes the loss of the job I loved even more easier to bear.

Wild, Wicked, & Wanton
Three friends…three secret desires…three chances to make it all come true.

They’re inseparable best friends who delight in sharing their wildest secrets and dares. But their latest bet is the boldest one of all: each must sleep with whomever the other two have chosen for her. And come back with every juicy detail…

WILD

Abby married the town bad boy. And he lived up to his reputation, bedding any woman who let her guard down. She swore off men for good, but never counted on a pair of sexy veterinarians who are fulfilling a desire of their own.

WICKED

Blair is the town heartbreaker. Afraid to commit, she’s broken off three engagements. Yet there’s one man she never had the courage to bed. The one man she really loved. But now, the decision is out her hands.

WANTON

Callie is the sensible one….but beneath it all she’s a true romantic, with the broken heart to prove it. Now her long-dormant fantasies may be getting a workout. A new man enters her life and everything about him is irresistible.

So let me first say how incredibly lucky I feel to have read this book before its release. It the first Arc I have every read and I am so happy that it’s from one of my favorite authors. That being said here we go.

For the longest time I was hesistant to read anthologies, as well as quickies, for me it is very hard to sell a love that will last and give me a HEA in such a short format. Once I finally decided to take the plung I was pleased to see that there are many authors who can plunge you head first into a story and still make you believe that the connection and the love is there. This book is definitely one of them.

From the opening pages of the book I felt connected to Abby, Blair and Callie. Each woman was different and had her own fantasies to fulfill and from the first few paragraphs I was fond of these women. I was cheering them on as they sough out there fantasies and felt as if they were real women I could be friend with them.

First up is Abby, she is the wild one or at least she wants to be. Since her divorce she has been working to make her life what she wants it to be and as she gets closer and closer to her graduation she is presented with a propostion from her bosses at the vet office. Her internship is coming to a close, but for Mike and Seth they have one more lesson they think Abby needs to learn and they are both more than willing to show her.

Both of these men are hot, I won’t lie. While one of them is outwardly sexy, That would be Mike, with his movie star good looks and his killer bod he has not trouble finding a willing woman. Seth of course is the quieter of the two but he is just as hot, in that cool I wanna strip you down and lick you all over kind of way. They both want Abby, even if they have to share.

Poor Abby get to have a hot, erotic threesome with her bosses and then she gets to decide if she wants to see one or both of them. It’s a hard job, but believe me Abby is up for the challenge, in the end she make the best choice for her and I couldn’t agree more.

Next up is Blair. Blair has a secret one her best friends don’t know. One that she even hides from herself, but Rand McKay knows what Blair wants and he is man enough to make sure she gets it. When Blair’s plan to take control of her weekend trist with Rand goes wrong, she soon finds out that sometimes giving in is the greatest reward. One of the things I found most interesting in this part was that Rand and Blair had been dancing around each other for so long and yet still did nothing about it. What was even hotter though was when Rand pulled Blair over for speeding, But you’ll have to read the book to find out what happened.

Oh yeah did I forget to mention Rand is the town Sheriff and that he has wanted Blair for 15 years. He is one patient man and hello he has handcuffs. Need I say more.

I didn’t think so.

Last up is Callie. Callie’s story was probably the saddest of the bunch. it has been five years since her husbands death and she has fought long and hard to rebuild her life. She has her own home, her own business and her very own kinky Fantasy. Take one lonely, sexually repressed widow and add on very hot corporate lawyer with his own streak of kink and you’ve got the man to make all Callie’s dreams come true.

Watching as she explores her hidden desires with Jack had me cheering for Callie. From the very begining of her story I was waiting to see how Jaci would give her the HEA she really deserved.

As usual Jaci Burton pens a story packed full with emotion and love, with more than enough of the hot steamy sex she writes so well. This single author anthology is well rounded, emotional and well worth the read. I received this as an ARC from her and I will be ordering it in paperback to add to my growing collection of her books.

If you haven’t read Jaci’s books you should. Trust me they are so worth it.

You can order Wild Wicked and Wanton here. It releases on May 1st from Berkely Heat.

Now I just wonder how I can convince her to give me an ARC of Hunting the Demon. Well that’s another post for another day.

I read an incredible post today from Jaci Burton. It was posted over on Author MBA. It was all about taking you career seriously.

I have always thought about writing, I had done so much of it when I was younger and then things in life changed for me and while I still dabbled here and there I found myself either always working or eventually being mom and wife that I put writing on the shelf as one of those things I would dream about but never thought I could achieve. So I read her post and I took a lot of what she had to say to heart.

She poses three questions, ones that when you think about it make lots of sense and I find myself in a place in my life were I have a new amount of free time, or me time. Time that lately I have been filling with reading or chores around the house. So why am I not taking advantage of this better.

Here are the questions she poses:

What Can You Do Today?1) Ask yourself if you’ve been treating your writing as a career. If you haven’t, then start focusing on it as if it is.2) Carve out a writing schedule that works within the framework of your daily life. Find a place and time that fits your lifestyle best.3) Let family members know that you intend to take your writing career seriously, and show them your schedule. Enlist their assistance in helping you achieve your goals.By doing these three things, your career as a writer will start to become a priority in your life, as it should be.I look at these three questions and I realize that I don’t think of it as a career and that I do have a time and a place that works for my writing life style. I can let my family know that this is my time and that I can schedule it for writing. The kids are at school and my DH is either sleeping or working. I’m in the house all alone. So really I have no excuse.

So thanks Jaci Burton for the kick in the butt I needed, publish or not I’ve decided to take my writing seriously.

Raw from an ugly divorce and wrung out from her demanding job, Haley Thorne needs a break. When Haley’s doctor urges her to take a vacation, she heads to her secret cabin in the woods.

The very first night, Haley dreams of an erotic threesome that leaves her panting and aroused. When sexy police detective Jeremy Pickett shows up at her door, she’s shocked: He looks like the man in her midnight fantasy! Levelheaded Haley unleashes her inner seductress and has a little fun—handcuffs and all!

First let me start off by saying that as far as publisher’s go Samhain is by far one of the best E book publishers. They have quick turn around of their books form Electronic to Print format and most of all they stand by their motto.

When they first hit the scene they came out with their catch phrase,It’s all about the story. And a year later they still hold true to this creed.

I felt confident that in purchasing this book from them that I would get a story, one full of rich characters and a compelling plot. Ms Rainey did not disappoint. From the get go we are immersed in the story, Haley is alone in her cabin, finally taking a rest from life and her not so happy divorce. The first chapter finds us thrust into her dreams and what a dream it is. I could almost picture the scene in my head. So much so that I was waiting for Jay and Marissa to appear in my own dreams.

After waking from her dream the very next day in walks Jeremy Pickett, forced to knock on Haley’s cabin door she encounters the man of her dreams, literally. This cop is every woman’s dream, he comes equipped with handcuffs and all.

Together they embark on a naughty weekend of love and slight submission that had me wishing Jeremy/Jay would use his handcuffs on me.

The inter-changing name was a tad confusing at first, but it was quickly straight in my mind and I was using them as interchangeably as the author. I found the character of Brad (Jay’s Brother) intriguing in a mysterious way and I’m hoping that Ms Rainey will be writing his story as well.

So here’s how the cookie crumbles on Haley’s Cabin.

What worked: The characters of Jay and Haley were believable as well as the story and how their relationship developed. The sex was hot and I found myself completely drawn into the story from the opening chapter. There were plenty of secondary characters so this is always good IMO. It means the possibility of sequels and I love see characters I’ve met in other stories get their own book, plus we get to check in on Jay and Haley.

What Didn’t Work: Aside from the brief mention above of the name switching, I wish it could have been longer, but then I am greedy when it comes to books. I always seem to want more and more when I really like something. So I’m not sure if that is a bad thing or not. Hmm..

Overall I liked this book, so much so that I want more from Ms. Rainey. It’s definitely a keeping and one I will probably reread again when I need a spicy little book to heat up a cold night or just to stop in and check on some old friends.

For a few weeks now I have been telling anyone who will listen that I need to go through my books and really figure out what I haven’t read. You see I have an addiction, one of course I want no cure for, but an addiction just the same. One know help group or 12 step program will cure. How do I know it’s an addiction? Keep reading and you see all the proof you need.

I am addicted to buying books, I will buy them used if they are out of print, I buy them new, I buy them from my library, to be honest if a store I enter has book I will more than likely leave with one. It drives my husband crazy, I am constantly nagging him about building me shelves in our bedroom for my every expanding library. Someday he’ll do it, for now however I make due with two old CD/Movie racks that I piled with books and the top shelves of my closet.

Finally about a week ago I decided to clean off the shelves what I have read and move the majority of my TBR, which is crammed in my closet our of it. I figured I would jot down the books I had yet to read and then I would add to it the eBooks I needed to read. It could be more than what 40 or 50 Books, Right?

Man was I wrong!

I was shocked to learn that I have over 200 books to read, I can’t for the life of me figure out where they all came from. I know I got some books from Sarah McCarty when she offered them to her fans on her yahoo group, I knew I had a few Harlequin Blaze books to read from when I got them monthly, and I knew I had books I had bought when they came out, but had put aside for the time being. I can’t seem to figure out how my TBR List got so far away from me. Plus every month there are more books being released that I have to have, plus I have about 40 Books from Nora Roberts alone I still have yet to buy. I mean they are Nora books so it’s a given that I must own them.

I know I can’t stop buying, but man I really need to get reading. I’m not sure how I will plow through the pile, maybe if I stop sleeping, bathing and feeding the husband & kids I can read them all by the end of the year. Of course with my addiction I know I will still keep buying.

It’s a vicious cycle I know, but I have to have my books. It’s official I’m afraid……

Just to recap the plot line. * I have blogged about this book before *

The phenomenal series set in a future New York City returns as NYPSD Lt. Eve Dallas hunts for the killer of a seemingly ordinary history teacher-and uncovers some extraordinary surprises. Craig Foster’s death devastated his young wife, who’d sent him to work that day with a lovingly packed lunch. It shocked his colleagues at the private school, too, and as for the ten-year-old girls who found him in his classroom in a pool of bodily fluids-they may have been traumatized for life. Eve soon determines that Foster’s homemade lunch was tainted with deadly ricin, and that Mr. Foster’s colleagues have some startling secrets of their own. It’s Eve’s job to sort it out- and discover why someone would have done this to a man who seemed so inoffensive, so pleasant . . . So innocent. Now Magdalena Percell . . . there’s someone Eve can picture as a murder victim. Possibly at Eve’s own hands. The slinky blonde-an old flame of her billionaire husband, Roarke-has arrived in New York, and she’s anything but innocent. Roarke seems blind to Magdalena’s manipulation, and he insists that the occasional lunch or business meeting with her is nothing to worry about . . . and none of Eve’s business. Eve’s so unnerved by the situation that she finds it hard to focus on her case. Still, she’ll have to put aside her feelings, for a while at least-because another man has just turned up dead.Eve knows all too well that innocence can be a facade. Keeping that in mind may help her solve this case at last. But it may also tear apart her marriage.

Once again JD Robb delivers, but not maybe what her fans expected. When I blogged previously about this book before it’s release, I was concerned for lack of a better word when I read the books description. It spoke of the marital issues Eve and Roarke were going to face and I just couldn’t wrap my mind around how Nora was going to address the issue. Well she did and in a way that lets us her readers see how much emotionally Eve has grown since that first book.

In the first few books of the series Eve struggles with accepting Roarke’s love for her and with her ability to give that love back to him in return. We rode along for the ride as she said the words for the first time, as she struggled to balance her work and her life and we laughed as she tried to find that perfect Christmas gift for the man who has everything. I felt her pain when she had to go to Summerset and ask for his advice and laughed again as she realized she was supposed to get him more than one gift.

Eve has grown, from story to story, a little bit each time to come to this point. It was hard and I was admittedly in tears a few times as she struggled to hold onto what she had and to deal with her fear of losing the man she had come to love. It was a journey that Eve had to take and overcome in her own time and I admit that I was on pins in needles with Roarke as he fought with and for the woman he has always loved.

I found myself torn though out the story, I wanted to feel bad for Roarke because in all honestly he did nothing wrong. It was the circumstances and the motives behind Maggie’s return that made it look bad for Roarke. Then of course other times I was mad at Roarke simply because he knows that while Eve is strong of body and intellect she is weak when it comes to things that touch her emotions.

One of the things I found surprising and I was not sure I was happy or not about was that the case itself took a back seat to the emotional story line of Eve and Roarke. So once things between them were on even ground again and she was once again back at her top performance level the case was slowly unraveled, and as it unraveled I found myself shocked once the killer was exposed.

In fact I was almost sick over it, I do not want to ruin this book for anyone, but I will say this Nora Roberts is where she is today because she crafts a story so rich and detailed that I did not see it coming. Not one little bit, I admit to being so involved in the trial and tribulations of Eve and Roarke that the case took second fiddle through most of this book, but all I can say is WOW! To say I was shocked just doesn’t see to say enough.

So what the bottom line here, what works and what doesn’t. Here goes.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As for what was missing, not much to be honest. I was a little sad we didn’t see more of Peabody and McNab, Feeney, Commander Whitney, Mira and Mavis and Leonardo, but I guess it was hard to work them in. I mean this book was really all about Eve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What works, in a word everything. Fans have been wanting Eve and Roarke to grow as a couple, for Eve to find herself and where she fits in her new life. To show her vulnerabilities and to love Roarke without question. She acknowledged her fears, the fact that she didn’t want Roarke to one day regret his so called choice in loving and marrying her. What I think Eve finally realizes is that just like her it’s not a choice she has to make or wanted to make, it is what she has to do. She loves Roarke as much as he clearly loves her.

I will probably always be a fan of this series and as long as JD Robb keeps writing them, I’ll keep reading.

If you haven’t started this series yet, you should. If you have and you haven’t read INNOCENT in Death yet, then what are you waiting for, run and get a copy today.